The Wild Card
by killianspirateprincess
Summary: Tony and Tali go to Israel and Paris, find Ziva, and live happily ever after.
The Wildcard

Faces fade in and out; they swirl around his head like a swarm of flies that won't leave.

 _She's dead. The farmhouse burned. She's gone, DiNozzo. I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm-_

He jolted awake from the same nightmare he's been having for days. The same nightmare in which the love of his life has died and his friends try futilely to console him. The same nightmare that he refuses to accept is his new reality. He is the wildcard, after all.

He knew he should be angry with her, for keeping Talia from him and for almost making him think she was dead, for blindsiding him with his daughter and for letting him leave her on that fateful day three years ago. Hell, he should be furious at her, and at some level he supposes he is. But right now, all he can think about is having her in his arms again, alive. He would do anything to have her here with him, with them – with their family. And he would never let her go – not ever. He will not make the same mistake again.

 _She's alive_ , he reminded himself as he glanced at his sleeping daughter who sat on the plane seat next to his. _If she were dead, I would feel it. I know she's out there, somewhere, waiting for us. This is not another Somalia. She is not dead; I'm not trying to avenge her. She's alive, and I'm not going to give up until I find her. Our story doesn't end this way. It can't. She's alive._

* * *

"Abba! More please!" Tali begged. Tony smiled and scooped more of the chocolate pancakes they ordered onto his daughter's plate. _She's definitely mine,_ he thought.

Not knowing where to begin in Israel with a two-year-old in tow, Tony decided to start with the necessities – lodging and sustenance. After checking into a modest hotel and sleeping for a day, he walked around Tel Aviv with Tali until she recognized a place at which she ate with her _Ima._ He was hesitant to go somewhere that reminded Tali of Ziva for fear that she may start asking questions he did not want to answer, but he couldn't resist making his daughter smile. He has not told her Ziva is dead, and he won't until he is sure, until there is irrefutable evidence – which he is praying he will never find.

After a few minutes of eating, an older man approached the table. "Excuse me," he said.

Tony jumped and immediately put his hand on his holster. "Yes?" he said cautiously. He was on edge after everything that has happened the past week, and with his newfound daughter, Tony wasn't taking any chances.

The man smiled softly. "I apologize, I did not mean to frighten you. I own this café, and I have seen this child here many times with her mother, Ziva. Are you Talia's father?"

Tony swallowed. "I-I am." He glanced at Tali, who was intensely focused on playing with the food on her plate. "Could we talk at the counter for a moment?"

The old man nodded and followed Tony, just out of earshot of Tali.

"My name is Anthony DiNozzo. I…I was Ziva's partner. I am here to investigate what happened. What do you know about the farmhouse bombing?"

The old man sighed. "Not much, I'm afraid. I know that Tali was found outside the house, at a safe distance with her bag of necessities. Ziva was not…recovered, and she has not been seen since that fateful day."

Tony's heart beat faster. "You're sure Tali was _outside_ the house?"

"Oh, yes. For that I am sure. I saw the authorities lead Tali away from that spot after the bombing."

"And what do you know about Ziva's recent involvements?"

"Let's see…all I know is that she was heavily involved with caring for Tali." He looked at Tony with pained eyes. "She…it is not my place to say. But she wanted to tell you, Anthony. She wanted to tell you all about her. But she couldn't."

"Why?"

He shook his head. "She did not say. All I know is that the last few days before the…event, she was acting more on edge than usual. Oh! And…"

"And what?" Tony prompted.

"And…it's funny," he said as he shook his head. "She kept reminiscing about Paris, telling me all these stories. I suppose now it does not matter."

Tony's eyes lit up and he smiled, truly smiled, for the first time in days. He grasped the man's shoulder and gave it a firm yet gentle squeeze. "Thank you, sir. You've been more help than you know. What is your name?"

The old man's eyes twinkled. "Aaron – but that is not important. Enjoy the rest of your breakfast, Anthony. I'm sure you'll need the energy for the rest of your journey."

Tony nodded and staggered back to his seat, lost in thought. Learning that Tali was found safely outside the building, and that Ziva had been talking about Paris all but confirmed his speculations. _She's alive. She must have heard of the attack and saved Tali before it happened. She escaped and is waiting in Paris for me. For Tali. For us._

* * *

They landed in Paris about 24 hours later. Tony gathered Tali in his arms and rushed through the airport as fast as his legs would take him. Unlike in Israel, he knew where to go. He knew exactly where she would be.

* * *

His hands were shaking as he walked up to the hotel's entrance. He put on a smile for Tali but it didn't reach his eyes. _What if…what if I'm wrong?_ he thought. _What if she's really gone? And if she_ _ **is**_ _alive…what do I say to her, after all of this? What happens next?_

He took a deep breath and walked bravely into the hotel. It was the same one they stayed at when he and Ziva were in Paris all those years ago. Tali looked with wide eyes at the elaborate décor while Tony wheeled their suitcase up to the information desk.

"Excusez-moi," Tony said. "Parlez-vous l'anglais?"

The woman smiled and nodded. "Yes, I speak English. How can I help you?"

"I need a room, please. Two beds."

"Sure," she said as she typed in the computer. "And your name?"

"Anthony DiNozzo."

The woman began typing, but quickly furrowed her brow and looked up at Tony. "I'm sorry, sir. There's already an occupied room to that name. Do you need to add another?"

Tony's eyes widened. _Could it be…?_

"Umm…I'm…I'm sorry, who checked into that room?"

The woman smiled. "Your wife, I believe." She glanced at her screen again. "A…Ziva DiNozzo? She checked in two days ago."

His heart fluttered at the sound of her name. "I-Thank you," he said as he swiftly turned around, his heart racing.

"Oh wait," he said, turning back a second. "Sorry – what room number was that again?"

"615."

"Right. Thank you."

* * *

He paced back and forth in the elevator as Tali looked up at him amusedly. The ascent to the sixth floor took what seemed like a lifetime. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. He had gone on autopilot, scooping up Tali and heading to the elevator without missing a beat as soon as he left the desk. He was in a trance, and before he knew it the elevator opened and his feet were taking him right to her door.

He didn't know what to think, feel, or say. He wanted to take a minute to think before knocking, but before he could start to gather his thoughts Tali giggled. "Abba!" she exclaimed as she waved her arms in the air playfully.

She must have been loud, because before he knew what was happening the door opened.

And there she was - alive as ever.

* * *

Ziva's tear-filled eyes made contact with Tony's as she smiled softly at the sound of her daughter's voice. Tony couldn't speak, hell he could barely breathe as he took in the sight of Ziva, the _mother_ of his _child,_ standing before him, _alive_. His eyes bored into hers, searching for the answers he needed.

"IMA!" Tali screamed as she reached out to Ziva, a grin resembling one of her father's wide on her face. Without breaking eye contact for more than a second, Ziva took Tali in her arms and hugged her close to her chest.

"Tony," she said sincerely as she rubbed her daughter's back. "Please, come in."

Still in shock, Tony nodded and dumbly stepped into the room, suitcase rolling behind him. He stood in the entryway, staring speechlessly as Ziva took care of Tali as naturally as ever. She settled Tali on the couch with one of her toys until she finally turned back to Tony. "We...need to talk. Come."

He broke out of his trance, his heart still racing and his thoughts running wild as he followed Ziva into none other than the bathroom. She closed the door so Tali would not overhear.

"It is not the men's restroom at NCIS, but…"

"What the hell, Ziva!" Tony glared, his faculties returning to him. "Where do I start? I have a daughter? WE have a daughter - who you didn't tell me about? You survived the bombing and didn't bother to tell us that you were alive? Or what your plan was or what the hell was going on? I had to get your hint about where you were from that picture Tali had in her bag, and about what happened from some old man in a café in Tel Aviv? What if I hadn't gone to Israel, Ziva? What if I didn't get your hints? What then? Would you have just disappeared and left Tali and I thinking you were dead?"

"Tony, I-"

"I'm not done," he snapped as he took a step closer to her. "You stayed here in Israel and let me leave. After that night we spent together, you pushed me away, back to the states without you. You didn't call, write, or send a lousy text telling me you were ok, for three years. Three _years,_ Ziva. You let me almost believe you were dead for a week," he said as he firmly put his hands on her shoulders.

His face softened as he said his next words, eyes threatening to tear. "I would have stayed in Israel with you, Ziva, in a heartbeat. I would have gone wherever you wanted to go; I would have followed you to the end of the Earth, if I had just known. You…you gave up on our future together, Ziva. And I am partly to blame for it too, I know. But you almost died without me telling you how…how I feel about you."

Ziva opened her mouth again to speak, but Tony cut her off. "Damnit Ziva, despite everything, despite all of it - I love you. It took me more than 8 years to admit it, but I do. I love you, Ziva David. And I am just… so, so happy you're alive."

His hands moved off her shoulders, one to her lower back and one to her face as her eyes widened. "I've missed you."

She smiled softly. "I've missed you too, Tony. And I…I love you too. I am sorry – I know I have a lot of explaining to do. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't because-"

Tony shook his head. "Shhh," he whispered. "You can tell me all about it later. We have all the time in the world now." He leaned down slightly and captured her lips with hers, softly at first. Ziva responded immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. Tony pulled her flush against him, kissing her passionately as if she'd disappear if he let go. He knew in that moment that he was never letting her go ever, ever again.

Seconds later they heard banging on the door.

"Ima! Abba!" Tali yelled. "Play!"

They broke apart quickly. Tony looked down at Ziva and smiled lovingly, his anger and fear and sadness a distant memory. Sure he still needed answers, but she was _here, alive,_ not pushing him away. _And she loved him_. He was on top of the world. She gave him one last peck and stepped back, smiling as she opened the door to her daughter. _Their_ daughter.

"Yes, tateleh. It's ok now. Ima and Abba are here."

* * *

"I wanted to tell you Tony," Ziva said quietly. She glanced over at Tali, who was sleeping soundly in one of the double beds, before turning back to focus her attention on Tony. After their embrace in the bathroom they had spent most of the day taking care of Tali, who was thrilled to have both of her parents with her. This was the first time they had a chance to talk privately since the morning.

He drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch. "Then why didn't you? I would have been there, Ziva. I would have been there in a heartbeat."

She looked at him with pain in her eyes. "I know." She took a deep breath before she began.

"After you and the team left Israel, I started to make plans to move off of the farmhouse. I needed a fresh start; I did not the memories those walls held. I was not even planning to stay in Tel Aviv. I wanted to travel, to reconcile the person I was - who Mossad trained me to be - with the person I wanted to be – for me, for you, for us."

Tony's heart ached. "I loved the person you were, Ziva. You didn't have to do that. And you didn't have to be alone."

Ziva smiled softly and rubbed his arm lovingly. "Oh, but I did, Tony. Anyway," she said as she turned to look at Talia again. Tony's eyes followed hers as she began to speak again, slower this time.

"When I found out that I was pregnant, my first thought was to send word to you. I did not know how to tell you, or what I wanted to do or what that would mean for our future, but I knew you deserved to know. Before I could, though…Orli, she showed up at my door."

Ziva fell silent for a moment, until Tony draped his arm around her. "Ziva…look at me."

He heard an intake of breath before she turned and looked at him, with tears in her eyes that matched those in his. "It's ok," he said softly.

She nodded and continued. "She had somehow heard I was pregnant. She offered me congratulations, and I told her the baby was yours and that I needed to send word to you immediately. She…she said I could not. Although I had been retired from Mossad for years, there were still enemies of my father in the area, and there were authorities within Mossad who aimed to overthrow Orli and take over. They hated my father and our family's legacy, and wanted to see it destroyed. She said that if they found out about her, they would not hesitate to…to take Tali and use her as leverage to get me to force Orli to resign, or to...to render her physically incapable of running Mossad. I believed her."

She paused for a moment. "Of course, once I heard this I wanted to leave Israel immediately, to get myself and Talia as far away from that place as I could, and back to you. But Orli pointed out that Mossad has agents everywhere, some of whom work for those trying to rise up in power. And we had not identified them all yet. She said that trying to leave was too dangerous, and that she could provide protection around the house as long as I kept Talia hidden and only frequented locations she checked first. I agreed. I realize now that I should not have."

She took a deep breath. "I knew I could not get word to you because it could have been intercepted, which would have put Tali in danger. I tried to get Orli to send you an encrypted message, but she insisted that even that would not be safe and refused to do it."

"Two years went by and the danger only increased. I knew that Talia needed to know her father, and that keeping her hidden here was not the life she deserved. I made a vow to her, when she was born, to give her a better life than I had. And after hearing Orli tell me about intel regarding a planned attack somewhere in Tel Aviv, I knew I had to get Talia and I out of Israel for good and separated from Mossad forever. So I packed her Go Bag, with the picture of us in Paris, to try to tell you. If you looked at the back of the photo, you would have seen the address of this hotel on the back."

Tony smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I should have looked more carefully."

Ziva smiled back. "That does not matter. You found me anyway. On the day of the rumored attack, we stayed outside and 'camped' in the orchard. I tried to keep Tali busy, but I was constantly looking back at the house in case something happened. When I heard the bomb go off..."

Tony squeezed her hand and waited patiently.

She started again. "When I heard the bomb go off and saw the Mossad operatives Orli trusted coming to check for survivors, I knew what I had to do. I set Talia down at a safe distance from the house with her bag, and watched from behind the trees as an agent I knew personally found her. I knew that Orli would have her sent to you. I didn't want you to find out this way, Tony, but I…I needed her to be safe. And I trust you."

She smiled sadly before she continued. " I..I had to let everyone think I was dead – even Orli – so that no one would ever come after Talia to try to get to me again. So I waited a day in the orchard until the media died down and I left Israel. I went to Paris, where I have been since, waiting for you. I am so sorry, Tony."

He looked at her with nothing but love, rendered speechless by her story. Sure, she nearly broke his heart this week, but she did it all to protect their family, their future. _She loved him._

"Say something, Tony," she asked quietly as she looked down at her hands.

He took her hands in his and she looked at him, tears threatening to spill. She knew she hurt him, so badly, and she robbed him of two years with their daughter that he will never be able to get back. Their daughter had been in danger and was almost attacked all because of her.

"Ziva," he said softly. "It's ok…it's more than ok, actually. I wish I could have been there for you and Tali, but you did what you thought you had to do to protect our family. So…thank you. I just wish I checked in on you when you didn't contact me."

"You had no way of knowing Tony, it's ok." She smiled as she moved closer to him, her head tucked in the crook of his arm. He stroked her hair and they sat in silence for a few moments until she spoke again. "Again…I am sorry, Tony. I am sorry that I left D.C., that I listened to Orli, that I sent you on a wild duck chase to find me. I should have been more clear."

Tony chuckled. "Goose chase, sweetcheeks. A wild goose chase. And I would say I forgive you, but there's nothing to forgive. You protected her, Ziva. We're here together now, and you're alive, and we have a beautiful daughter, and that's all that matters."

"She is beautiful, isn't she?" Ziva said as she leaned back slightly to look at him. "She has your personality, you know."

Tony grinned. "She also has yours! Her willpower is second only to yours. I can't tell you how long it took me to get her to eat the food I bought her. And her eyes and hair, Ziva…she's a mini -you."

"I guess we have an handful then, don't we?" Ziva laughed.

Tony smiled. "She's perfect, just like her mom. And I can't wait to watch her grow up to be better than both of us."

Ziva's eyes widened. "You mean that? You want to…?"

"Of course I do, Ziva. It's time to start our life together…our family. I love our daughter and I love you. We can live here, or in Spain, or Canada, Mexico, Italy, England…"

She grinned and cut him off with a soft kiss. "I love you too. I do not think I will ever get used to hearing that."

Tony laughed. "Good. Because I will never stop saying it."

* * *

They lay awake in bed, their limbs tangled as she snuggled into his chest. She danced her fingers lightly on his skin until he looked down at her and smiled.

"What?"

Tony chuckled. "I just have one question about all of this."

"Yes?"

"When you checked into this hotel…why did you say your name was Ziva _DiNozzo_?" Tony raised his eyebrows.

Ziva laughed and winked at him. "What do you think, Tony?"

She turned around, and immediately felt Tony turn with her, pressing against her back. His arm went around her front and pulled her close. Not long ago she would have freaked out about this intimate gesture, but not anymore. With their daughter in the bed beside theirs and the love of her life next to her, she was right where she belonged.


End file.
